1UP Interview: Itagaki Skewers the Competition

1UP recently unearthed the first significant news about Team NINJA founder, Tomonobu Itagaki's upcoming reentry into the game-making hemisphere. But with his arrival in Los Angeles for the E3 convention, they sat down with him for another exclusive interview that goes a lot deeper into his upcoming plans. They also talked to him about the just-unveiled Team NINJA-developed Metroid: Other M, Bayonetta, Tekken 6, Western films, and that World War II game he once talked about making. Read on for all the semi-drunken details.

"1UP: What do you think of Kojima's Metal Gear Solid Xbox 360 announcement?

TI: Oh is that so? That's great. It's probably going to be an action game then."

haha that's so weird that he nailed it just like that, it will indeed be an action game. But even more interesting, speaking on his new company:

"1UP: Is it owned by Microsoft or completely independent?

TI: We can't tell you who's supporting us, right now. You want to guess? I doubt anybody would be able to get the right answer. In fact I'm willing to bet money on that. [Laughs] "

I wonder who it is.

"1UP: What do you think about Bayonetta, as a game? Do you think Kamiya is right to follow the Devil May Cry formula so closely?

TI: If I made a similar game as a game I made in the company I quit, people would say, "What an idiot, can't he make anything else?" Well, that is more or less the opinion I have for, uh, that Bayo-something game."

"1UP: So does this mean you won't have women in your next game, or that you just won't have sexy women in your next game?

"TI: If I made a similar game as a game I made in the company I quit, people would say, "What an idiot, can't he make anything else?" Well, that is more or less the opinion I have for, uh, that Bayo-something game.""

I guess that answers my question down below #4.1, he will be trying something different.

" Last night, after E3 closed, I got to touch Natal in the Microsoft booth. It is completely awesome. It's an absolutely revolutionary device that increases the freedom of game design by like, a hundred, or maybe more like a thousand times. I got to play with it, and I can tell you it will definitely lead to some great games. It has no latency in motion recognition, so I'm convinced that the guys behind that tech are complete geniuses."

Awesome! Good to see this is impressing developers and getting their wheels turning about the possibilities.

Good interview and I am also glad Itagaki-san is coming back with what sounds like an even better team then what he had at Team Ninja.

"It has no latency in motion recognition" But we know this isn't true, there is a slight delay between movement and on-screen action, the demonstration Microsoft gave with both the painting game and the ricochet game show this. Videos of people playing burnout paradise also show this. So unless he's seen an updated version of the camera, he isn't telling the whole truth.

That's not to say the technolgoy won't be improved and allow this, but at this moment, he's incorrect.

You telling me you didn't catch the sarcasm in that comment... come on. This guy was so open about his likes and dislikes, i.e. he's comfortable in his new found "freedom," enough so to poke at Microsoft a bit ;)

That's the way I took it anyway... it was SUCH a PR type answer that it HAD to be a front, a joke.

"1UP: What do you think about Bayonetta, as a game? Do you think Kamiya is right to follow the Devil May Cry formula so closely?

TI:If I made a similar game as a game I made in the company I quit, people would say, "What an idiot, can't he make anything else?" Well, that is more or less the opinion I have for, uh, that Bayo-something game."

"1UP: What did you think of Ninja Blade? Were you surprised another studio like From Software would follow your games on 360 with one in the same genre?

TI: Not surprised at all. In fact I've been told that all of the staff members were handed copies of Ninja Gaiden 2 to use as a textbook. If those stories are true, then I'm very honored and pleased to be of service."

wow he has really changed, he's become more understanding, i thought he would have flipped his lip at that game.

I can't wait to see what Itagaki works on next. I so would love to see MS bring Itagaki under there wing and let him work for them under there MGS Japan branch. MS could really use a guy like Itagaki who knows the tastes of people that live in Japan what they want. So you could see some great games for the Japanese market if this were to happen.

what to do with Studios. You would think they be opening more studios but I don't see much or when they do have talent under them, like acat that doesn't know what to do with a "live mouse" they let them go.

Thought I'm not advocating killing devs but they don't take advantage.

Anyhow I wouldn't mind seeing what this guy have. some devs are good at one thing or genre but what else can you come up with?

his games are over rated. doa4 was completely dumbed down, and the glory of DOA3.1 will be lost forever. ninja gaiden 2 was also a letdown with the camera being my only complaint. he just likes to flap his gums.

Did it sell well on the xbox 360? The guy is creative, I like him. Despite him hating on the playstation 3. He has a good directive in game design. He surely is a legend alongside Hideo Kojima. The two are totally opposites, hideo being the good, itagaki being the bad lol.

So T&A does sell well LOL. I loved the DOA series, especially when that teamxbox came out with those nude patches which actually showed what was under the girls... um.. Itagaki sure made it known that every detail was accurate. It kind of sucks that DOA will never be made again... so no contiuation of the game... story was meh anyway.

Though this guy is kinda mean with his fans, i mean he refused to sign copies of Ninja Gaiden Sigma, he is still a good developer and his next project should be looked upon with anticipation regardless of what console it's on.

That being said... I really don't understand why some of you bash everything about him including his style of dress. If he makes bad games, you can bash him for that. But his sunglasses and alleged intoxication are none of our business.